I had a program that finished after curfew time this evening. I have a curfew pass and I decided to film my epic 7 minute drive home at 9:45pm . Pretty strange not seeing any cars on the road.

Yes I am that anal I indicate even when there are no other cars on the road – blame Young Drivers of Canada defensive driving classes.

The PM announced that the State of Emergency will be extended but no time frame was given. Rumors are circulating that it might be November 7th. There was also an indication from the PM that curfew hours might be relaxed in the locked down areas.

The state of emergency here and nightly curfew has me rather pissed off ( though it really hasn’t affected me since I am a homebody) so I haven’t uploaded a post in a few days. Just realized that it has been a while so I promise I will upload one tomorrow.

I live in Cascade which is a suburb of Port of Spain and is under a strict curfew though as a journalist I have a curfew pass. If anyone is looking for a review of what it is like living under house arrest I can safely say that Cascade is as delightfully boring as ever. I have the weekend off so I might take the Galaxy Tab ( I am totally in love with it now) on a drive and take some shots of the deserted city.

Let’s see what happens. The fact is that my civil rights have been taken away for a crime situation which, while dire, hardly qualifies as an emergency. The majority of law abiding citizens in all the major cities are now under house arrest.

The entire nation has been rocked with the recent tragic news of the spate of murders over the past few days. The situation has reached proportions which the government must respond to in the most definitive manner possible.

I am advised that one of the causations for the spike in murders is ironically linked to the success by the police in the discovery of large drug hauls with values in excess of twenty million dollars in just one raid. These large sums of money simply do not disappear from the drug trade without consequences and in some of the cases now occurring, this is the result .The question though isn’t just what is causing it but how do we deal with it?

As you know, we have deployed more financial and human resources than any government in recent time in dealing with the scourge of crime and until this recent upsurge the nation had been encouraged by the decline shown by year to years statistics. But a problem of this nature that has been the result of years of neglect will not disappear overnight and we reassess day by day each strategy deployed and how effective it is in achieving short term and long term objectives in reducing crime. But the current crime spree dictates that more must be done and stronger action has to be employed now.

The situation cannot continue like this without a response commensurate with the wanton acts of violence and lawlessness; it must be a response as well that will halt the current spike in gang activity and crime in general in the shortest possible time.

After much deliberation with the National Security Council and members of the Cabinet it has been agreed that the government consider the imposition of a limited state of emergency in hot spots across the country. Such a consideration must of course have the agreement of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency, George Maxwell Richards and I will be meeting with him to discuss this matter.

The limited state of emergency will allow us to achieve a number of things in relation to crime reduction which would not be prudent for me to disclose in advance of the action taken.

We are aware that such a decision will have an impact on the daily lives of innocent, law abiding citizens in these areas but I feel confident that they will recognise and appreciate the need to protect them and bring the current crime surge affecting them under control. We have the will to tackle the crime problem in Trinidad and Tobago and the commitment to place every resource at our disposal towards waging and winning this war on crime. We will succeed. We will succeed. The nation will not be held to ransom by marauding groups of thugs bent on creating havoc on our society. The limited state of emergency in hot spots across Trinidad and Tobago is merely part of a larger aggressive reaction response by the government.

As these measures are being deployed using both out police and military we ask all citizens to bear with the inconveniences that may arise from time to time. This is in everyone’s interest. In fact, I intend to hold discussions with the Leader of the Opposition to seek his party’s support with certain legislative matters in Parliament. Trinidad and Tobago comes first.

Nothing is more important than the right of each citizen to be protected and to enjoy a life of peace and tranquility.

Via my friend Shannon. This is a subject that brought Eric and I together – the victimization of those who are different in some way. We always said that if there was one single thing that brought us together it was the death of Seth Walsh. We identified with him in a way that is hard to describe.

About a year ago, in the lead up to Spirit Day someone came upon this blog, liked what they were reading and added me on Twitter. Thanks to the internet we became fast friends and we basically spent at least an hour every night chatting about our lives and hopes. I couldn’t imagine going to bed without chatting with my adopted little brother.

We hadn’t chatted for the past few days because he was going through a messy breakup and his partner’s family were visiting from overseas. It was, in fact, the longest period we had ever gone without talking. I checked his Facebook wall today to see condolences there – a quick Google search and the horror became apparent. Eric and his 3 year-old were stabbed to death in their apartment in Seattle. His partner has been charged with both murders.

Eric had only moved to Seattle a few weeks earlier and was looking forward to moving on with his life. I was looking forward to picking a present for his 30th birthday. Now he is gone.

Life is funny. Just when you don’t expect it someone wonderful shows up to make your life a new and exciting adventure. Then, just as quickly, they can be taken away. Cherish those you care for because the day may come when they will just not be there.

Eric was funny, thoughtful, articulate, wise beyond his years, caring, loyal and talented. He also knew the words to every Cher and ABBA song ever written. He made me smile and he made me think.

Eric, wherever you are, it was a privilege and honor to be your friend. You will forever be in my heart.

Eric would want us to celebrate his life and not be sad but if anyone deserves a few tears it is him.